The Perfect Son
Disclaimer: I still don't own them. I think the only thing in this story I can lay claim to is Christine and the plot. Sad, isn't it?
Chapter Fourteen - Plans
Donatello:
We had arrived home from searching for Mike and while Raph decided to stew and fret, while hopefully working off his rising ire off in the dojo but more likely destroying something outside of the training room. I went to check a few things in my room and lab.
I hadn't meant to fall asleep but, I had been working late on a few things and well…heh…it sort of caught up to me. I was jolted awake though by someone pounding on the lab door as if they intended to break it down.
"Don! Donny, open this door or I'll bust it down," I heard Raph yelling on the other side.
I blinked my weary eyes, and grumbled a little as I rose from the chair I was sitting in and went to answer the door. I opened it to see Raph glowering at me as if he was totally aware that I'd been sleeping instead of doing my best to try and track Mike down.
"Get your brain in gear Don boy, we've got problems," he griped. He reached out and grabbed me by the shoulders and propelled me towards the kitchen, while I fought to stifle a yawn.
As we neared the kitchen though I smelled fresh brewed coffee, and the aroma alone helped my sleep befuddled mind. I knew that once I had some caffeine in me I'd be all right.
We entered the kitchen and I saw Mike was there. So, if Mike was home safe or sound what was Raph's urgency I had to wonder. "If Mike is here what do you need me for, morning practice isn't for at least three hours yet." I muttered.
My sleep befuddled mind told me if Mike was here there shouldn't be any problems but something was up. As I came a little more alert I could sense anxiousness.
"Don will ya wake up dammit! I'm ready at slap ya a couple just to get you there." Raph demanded.
"Let me get a couple sips of coffee in me and that will probably work better," I informed him. "At least with coffee in me I'll be able to fathom what you are trying to say."
Raph gave a strange grin, his predatory smile that was similar to a wolf when it came in for the kill. "Don you want something to wake you up? I'll give it to you now. Christine and Leo have been captured by the Foot," he announced quickly. He spoke calmly and there was a dark underlying tone to his words.
I blinked quickly and shook my head, not quite sure I had heard him right, "The Foot have Leo and Christine?" I echoed.
Raph patted my shoulder, "When we came home I went ta check Christine's apartment to see if knuckle head had just forgot to call us, I figured I'd be quick and it gave me something to do. The place was trashed, I thought fer sure Mikey here got messed up in what evah had happened." Raph explained, "I saw no sign of Mike, Leo or Christine but I saw a lot of Foot. I was gonna come back here and get you so we could go out together try and learn something from the Foot if we could."
Raph suddenly looked up at Mike and yelled at him "You ever disappear for hours again with no call and nothing I'm going…"
Mike nodded, as he busied himself at the counter pouring the hot liquid into mugs. "I know Raph. I'm sorry all right. I know the only reason you aren't kicking me out of my shell at this very moment, is because I do happen to know where the Foot are." He slid a mug in front of me, "Here Don, just as you like it."
I sniffed the drink and wrapped one hand around the hot mug, not minding the heat. "Mike, care to tell me from the beginning what is going on?" I asked. I was still trying to play catch up, but I could feel myself becoming more awake.
Mike handed Raph his coffee in, his own personal 'Ask me if I give a shit' mug, which Splinter had hated. Splinter had permitted Raph to keep it when he realized that there were worse things the mug could say.
Mike poured his own drink then joined us at the table. He patiently explained everything, though in typical Mike fashion he rushed some of the details or jumped from one thing to another. But, I was able to understand what he was saying, partly because I was more awake by this point and partly because I was used to Mike.
I rose up and got myself a second cup of coffee, having a strange feeling that I was going to need it. "You said, you heard the one Foot Soldier talking Mike?"
Mike nodded, "Yeah Don. The others were sort of giving way to him. So, I kinda figured he was probably higher up in rank. He seemed surprised to see that Leo was alive and he said that he'd…uh" Mike paused, "was planning to find out where we were before releasing Leo by …killing him. He said Christine should be put with Leo. Leo was all tied up but he wasn't struggling, not that I think it would have done him much good. Christine on the other hand she's got a lot of spunk to her."
"Then we should have a few hours to work something out. What is the address of the place Mike?"
Mike rattled off the addresses of a few of the warehouses around the one that the Foot were hiding out in. He insisted that with the Foot around he didn't want to try getting the correct address.
"That's okay I can figure it out." I assured him. "From what you have given me I can use the computer to figure out exact address, get dimension of the property and possibly a few other things that may be useful when we go in."
"Don't get too crazy Don. Leo and Christine are the ones who are gonna pay if we wait too long," Raph reminded me sharply.
"Exactly Raph, we have to go into enemy head quarters, the more information we have, the better chance we have of getting them out of there alive. The time we take now to prepare could save all of us. If we are lucky, we could go in during the day if only to check things out."
Raph jerked his head up and glared at me, uncertainly as if I had confused him somehow.
"We could check out the warehouse during the day I doubt the Foot would be expecting us during daylight hours. It would give us an advantage, maybe not much of one but we can use all that we can get Raph," I pointed out. "I know it isn't safe during the day time and trust me I plan on leaving all insanity to you. I'm also awake enough to know what I'm talking about." I declared.
I paused taking in my brother's stunned looks. "The Foot will expect us to come at night to help Leo. They may have guards posted during the day but I think they'll be more relaxed. Once night falls they'll be expecting trouble. So, unless you can think of something better, I am open to suggestions. But I feel going during the day is our best bet and I think you know that as well as I do."
"All right but I don't like this," Raph grumbled.
"Let's consider it the competition for the day. Forget the chores for today, they aren't going to get done anyways. We will have enough to do as it is."
"Don I did the competition all ready. I was the one who tracked the Foot and I got back with no one the wiser" Mike interjected.
"I hope your right Mike they may be expecting us as it is. I don't think they need any more incentive than they have." I said.
Mike grinned, "Let me tell you these competitions have really helped with being sneaky and unseen." He chuckled a little, "I'm sure I saw more of the Foot, then they saw of me."
"Well those guys were never able to match us in a fair battle anyways," Raph retorted, " Course I don't mind hearing that the competitions are improving our skills. It was the whole damn idea in the first place."
I sat back in my chair and smiled at my brothers "Then there should be no reason why we can't do this" I challenged them.
Mike started to laugh. "What would Splinter say about this? I bet his fur would be bristling up at the very idea of us going out during the day."
"We have some other things to arrange first. Ninja still have shadows during the day. Just not as many, shadows during that time. So, we are going have to be extra cautious. We can't afford to make any mistakes," I insisted.
TBC